Africa must not be forgotten in present global crisis says Red Cross Red Crescent
4 October 2001

When all eyes are focussed elsewhere, the world needs to be reminded of the great humanitarian needs on the African continent, says Dr. Astrid Heiberg, the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"Let us not forget that almost as many people will die in Africa this year from HIV/AIDS as did in the entire Vietnam War, almost three million people. The continent also suffers from many other calamities which we have been called upon to respond to this year. These include epidemics of meningitis and cholera and natural disasters such as drought and floods. Conflict has also created vast numbers of refugees and internally displaced from West Africa to the Horn," Dr. Heiberg said in a statement today at the start of her visit to Kenya.
She recalled that Federation-supported programmes throughout Africa have over ten million beneficiaries. Red Cross Red Crescent aid programmes include assistance to flood victims in Mozambique, health services for refugees in Tanzania, drought response in Sudan and Ethiopia and tackling a recent cholera outbreak in Chad.

Dr. Heiberg is taking a first-hand look at the ravages that HIV/AIDS is making in Kenya where an estimated 600 people die each day as a result of the epidemic and many thousands of children have been orphaned as a result. She will be accompanied tomorrow (Friday) by the Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, Mr. Abbas Gullet, on a visit to an HIV/AIDS programme in Kisumu in western Kenya.

The International Federation through a network of 53 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on the continent has embarked on a major scaling-up of activities against HIV/AIDS as part of a ten year strategy to mobilise some two million trained volunteers to work against the epidemic at community level.

"Together with organisations such as NAP+ (Network of African People Living with HIV/AIDS) we aim to break the silence by overcoming the stigma which still surrounds AIDS, to advocate for treatment to allow parents to bring up their children and thus limit the number of orphans and reduce the immensity of suffering across this great continent," said Dr Heiberg.

Dr. Heiberg is travelling in the company of the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Jakob Kellenberger.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In Nairobi:
Caroline Hurford, Information Delegate Tel: +254 2 713 424 / +254 733 632 943 (mobile)
In Geneva:
Denis McClean, Head, Media Service: Tel: +41 22 730 4428/ +41-79-2173357
Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer : Tel.: +41 22 730 4346/ +41-79-3345
Duty phone: Tel.: +41 79 416 3881

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.